Lestoidea (superfamily)
| Lestoidea | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Indolestes peregrinus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Suborder: | Zygoptera |
| Superfamily: | Lestoidea Calvert, 1901[1] |
| Families[2] | |
Lestoidea is a superfamily of damselflies comprising the families Hemiphlebiidae, Lestidae, Perilestidae and Synlestidae.[2][3][4] Members occur on every continent except Antarctica, with greatest diversity in tropical and temperate regions.[5]
Studies of damselfly evolution indicate Lestoidea as an ancient lineage that is the sister group to all other living damselflies, making it the earliest-diverging extant damselfly lineage.[6][7][8][9][10]
Taxonomic history
In 1901, Calvert established the superfamily Lestoidea for damselflies related to the genus Lestes.[1]
Modern phylogenetic studies have consistently supported Lestoidea as a distinct evolutionary lineage comprising the families Hemiphlebiidae, Lestidae, Perilestidae and Synlestidae.[10][11]
Historically, some classifications also included Lestoideidae within Lestoidea. In 2026, that family was transferred to the newly recognised superfamily Euphaeoidea, leaving the four extant families recognised today.[3]
Phylogeny
Relationships among living damselfly superfamilies, based on Carter et al. (2026).[3]
Families
The following families are currently placed in Lestoidea:[2][3]
- Hemiphlebiidae Kennedy, 1920
- Lestidae Calvert, 1901
- Perilestidae Kennedy, 1920
- Synlestidae Tillyard, 1917
Fossil record
Fossils attributed to Lestoidea are known from the Cretaceous onward, with records from Europe, Asia and the Americas.[12]
Lestoidea includes the extinct family †Eolestidae, known from Eocene deposits in North America.[12]
Fossil genera
The following fossil genera are currently assigned to Lestoidea:[12]
- †Albertalestes Jouault & Nel, 2023
- †Cerdanyagrion Nel et al., 1996
- †Cretalestes Jarzembowski et al., 1998
- †Cretaphylolestes Huang et al., 2021
- †Danolestes Simonsen et al., 2025
- †Eolestes Cockerell, 1940
- †Gaurimacia Vasilenko, 2005
- †Inacayalestes Petrulevičius, 2015
- †Lutetialestes Greenwalt & Bechly, 2014
- †Madres Petrulevičius, 2018
- †Palaeoperilestes Zheng et al., 2016
- †Palaeophylolestes Doriath-Döhler et al., 2023
Etymology
The superfamily name Lestoidea is derived from the type genus Lestes and the zoological suffix -oidea, used for superfamilies.
Some authors have used the alternative spelling Lestinoidea to avoid confusion with the unrelated damselfly genus Lestoidea.[6][13] However, under zoological nomenclature, Lestoidea is considered grammatically correct, and the principle of homonymy does not apply because the names belong to different zoological groups, one at superfamily rank and the other at genus rank.[10]
See also
References
- 1 2 Calvert, P.P. (1901). "Fam. Odonata". In Godman, F.D.; Salvin, O. (eds.). Biologia Centrali-Americana. Vol. Insecta. Neuroptera (1892–1908). London: R.H. Porter. pp. 17–342, 342–410 [45]. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.730.
- 1 2 3 Paulson, D.; Schorr, M.; Abbott, J.; Bota-Sierra, C.; Deliry, C.; Dijkstra, K.-D.; Lozano, F. "World Odonata List". OdonataCentral. University of Alabama. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Carter, Payton; Goodman, Aaron; Abbott, John; Bota Sierra, Cornelio; Bybee, Seth M.; Dow, Rory A.; Fomekong Lontchi, Judicael; Frandsen, Paul B.; Gonzalez Mozo, Laura; Guralnick, Rob; Hämäläinen, Matti; Joshi, Shantanu; Kohli, Manpreet K.; Lupiyaningdyah, Pungki; Montana, Katherine O.; Newton, Lacie; Onsongo, Violet; Orr, Albert G.; Pinto, Ângelo Parise; Sanchez-Herrera, Melissa; Sutherland, Laura N.; Theischinger, Gunther; Ware, Jessica L.; Zhang, Haomiao; Kalkman, Vincent J. (2026). "The classification and diversity of extant dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata)". International Journal of Odonatology. 29: 95–124. doi:10.48156/1388.2026.1917385.
- ↑ "Superfamily LESTOIDEA". Australian Faunal Directory. Australian Biological Resources Study. 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
- ↑ Silsby, Jill (2001). Dragonflies of the World. CSIRO Publishing. p. 87. ISBN 0643065121.
- 1 2 Bybee, S.M.; Ogden, T.H.; Branham, M.A.; Whiting, M.F. (2008). "Molecules, morphology and fossils: a comprehensive approach to odonate phylogeny and the evolution of the odonate wing". Cladistics. 24 (4): 477–514. doi:10.1111/j.1096-0031.2007.00191.x. PMID 34879634.
- ↑ Carle, F.L.; Kjer, K.M.; May, M.L. (2008). "Evolution of Odonata, with special reference to Coenagrionoidea (Zygoptera)". Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny. 66: 37–44. doi:10.3897/asp.66.e31679.
- ↑ Davis, R.B.; Nicholson, D.B.; Saunders, E.L.R.; Mayhew, P.J. (2011). "Fossil gaps inferred from phylogenies alter the apparent nature of diversification in dragonflies and their relatives". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 11 (1) 252: 252–261. Bibcode:2011BMCEE..11..252D. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-11-252. PMC 3179963. PMID 21917167.
- ↑ Dumont, H.J.; Vierstraete, A.; Vanfleteren, J.R. (2010). "A molecular phylogeny of the Odonata (Insecta)". Systematic Entomology. 35 (1): 6–18. Bibcode:2010SysEn..35....6D. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3113.2009.00489.x.
- 1 2 3 Dijkstra, K.D.B.; et al. (2013). "The classification and diversity of dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata). In: Zhang, Z.-Q. (Ed.) Animal Biodiversity: An Outline of Higher-level Classification and Survey of Taxonomic Richness (Addenda 2013)". Zootaxa. 3703 (1): 36–45. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3703.1.9. hdl:10072/61365.
- ↑ Bybee, S. M.; Kalkman, V. J.; Erickson, R. J.; Frandsen, P. B.; Breinholt, J. W.; Suvorov, A.; Ware, J. L. (2021). "Phylogeny and classification of Odonata using targeted genomics". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 160 107115: 1–15. Bibcode:2021MolPE.16007115B. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107115. hdl:11093/2768. PMID 33609713.
- 1 2 3 "Paleobiology Database: Lestoidea". Paleobiology Database. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
- ↑ Rehn, A.C. (2003). "Phylogenetic analysis of higher-level relationships of Odonata". Systematic Entomology. 28 (2): 181–239. Bibcode:2003SysEn..28..181R. doi:10.1046/j.1365-3113.2003.00210.x.